The Recluse Crew is an outfit out of Helsinki, comprised of production team Recluse Recordings and emcees from Dirty Smarts and LLC, whilst Snoptic Pressure are from Minneapolis and known for the energy of their live shows. Put together on paper, you may think they wouldn’t mix too well, but in reflection, the US / Scandinavian link up works, with no sense of distance between the beats and vocals, but one of natural collaboration.

Most suited to backpackers, the beats are all impressive efforts, providing a variety of moods and energies. The vocals are just as consistent, although some could argue that they’re a bit too generic in the context of typical underground hiphop. The nicest aspect of the release is the lyrics, which provide each track with a clear concept or topic. If you’re feeling a bit international with all these summer heatwaves, think about checking this out, available on Kool Kat Records right about…now.